Author Topic: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, SEVEN YEARS On.  (Read 173044 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline gzarruk

  • Posts: 5140
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #840 on: December 27, 2018, 10:02:12 PM »
Amazingly nobody sought it in South America

I know a many people who would've loved to have it here (Peru), but unfortunately there's not enough mainstream demand for DT's management to accept playing here again (only played here once, in 2010).

However, Brazil, Chile and Argentina always have at least one or two dates each when DT tours, so I bet it had something to do with TA Live not being as succesful there as they expected.
It sounds like, "ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk." Instead of the more pleasing kick drum sound of, "gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk."

Offline Darkstarshades

  • Posts: 1045
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #841 on: December 27, 2018, 11:45:09 PM »
Amazingly nobody sought it in South America

I know a many people who would've loved to have it here (Peru), but unfortunately there's not enough mainstream demand for DT's management to accept playing here again (only played here once, in 2010).

However, Brazil, Chile and Argentina always have at least one or two dates each when DT tours, so I bet it had something to do with TA Live not being as succesful there as they expected.

I recall seing pics of these venues filled and they even had 2 dates in Chile and 2 dates in Mexico City, and the riskiest show was arguably the Guadalajara one which sold out completely.

They pretty much wasted a chance to print money by not bringing the I&W tour here.
Jatruccyundessgini

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #842 on: December 29, 2018, 09:07:00 AM »
Honestly climaxes like the end of The Path That Divides are among the greatest in DT history

I think what gets lost in the conversation about this album is how many songs actually do have epic/dramatic endings.  I think some got so focused on the shorter song lengths that they overlooked how epic some of the songs really are.  Heck, songs like Act of Faythe and Losing Faythe don't get talked about a lot, relative to other songs from the record, but both have endings I would describe as epic.

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74062
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #843 on: December 29, 2018, 09:09:00 AM »
  Heck, songs like Act of Faythe and Losing Faythe don't get talked about a lot, relative to other songs from the record, but both have endings I would describe as epic.

I love both songs and they both made my Astonishing Abridged CD. Losing Faith is absolutely amazing.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline TheLordOfTheStrings

  • I make music. I also do other stuff sometimes.
  • Posts: 1607
  • Gender: Male
  • EB
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #844 on: December 29, 2018, 12:49:25 PM »
I think Hymn Of A Thousand Voices is one of DT's most beautiful, epic endings of all time. I've said it before, but I wish they would have done it where instead of Gabriel gaining his voice back and saving Faythe, they just had the entire town sing (represented by that choir part, "glorious sound...") and that's what saved Faythe. I think it would have made that part of the story a bit more touching and beautiful because it would have shown that all in all Gabriel's gift wasn't music because everyone had 'the gift of music' inside of them all along His gift was the ability to inspire change and show the people that they just needed to embrace music, as well as show them that when everyone works together (sings together) they're more powerful than any one man could ever be.
Check out my various music projects - I’ve got concept albums, singer/songwriter, rock, metal, prog, and more coming soon:

https://linktr.ee/STARCOMMANDStudios

Offline gzarruk

  • Posts: 5140
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #845 on: December 29, 2018, 12:52:52 PM »
I still think that naming the main character Gabriel was the right call... and it doesn't have anything to do with my name being Gabriel... of course not... :biggrin:
It sounds like, "ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk." Instead of the more pleasing kick drum sound of, "gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk."

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74062
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #846 on: December 29, 2018, 04:09:16 PM »
I think Hymn Of A Thousand Voices is one of DT's most beautiful, epic endings of all time. I've said it before, but I wish they would have done it where instead of Gabriel gaining his voice back and saving Faythe, they just had the entire town sing (represented by that choir part, "glorious sound...") and that's what saved Faythe. I think it would have made that part of the story a bit more touching and beautiful because it would have shown that all in all Gabriel's gift wasn't music because everyone had 'the gift of music' inside of them all along His gift was the ability to inspire change and show the people that they just needed to embrace music, as well as show them that when everyone works together (sings together) they're more powerful than any one man could ever be.

I like that. And I agree about that first sentence. It's the closer on my Astonishing Abridged CD and it's really the perfect ending IMO.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #847 on: December 29, 2018, 07:04:56 PM »
  Heck, songs like Act of Faythe and Losing Faythe don't get talked about a lot, relative to other songs from the record, but both have endings I would describe as epic.

I love both songs and they both made my Astonishing Abridged CD. Losing Faith is absolutely amazing.

I think Hymn Of A Thousand Voices is one of DT's most beautiful, epic endings of all time.

I like that. And I agree about that first sentence. It's the closer on my Astonishing Abridged CD and it's really the perfect ending IMO.

 :eek :eek :eek

What happened to the TAC who wants his music to always ROCK? :P

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74062
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #848 on: December 29, 2018, 07:15:17 PM »
Oh Shoot! :facepalm:

I meant My Last Farewell!  :lol
Losing Faith blows! :lol :lol

My Last Farewell is amazing!

And Act Of Faythe is awesome too! ;D


Honestly Kev, I don't need, or want, my metal from Dream Theater. Before The Astonishing, the two things I wanted most from a new Dream Theater album was more piano and more James. The Astonishing gave us that in spades.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline gzarruk

  • Posts: 5140
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #849 on: December 29, 2018, 08:08:05 PM »
I had forgotten about this meme I saw a couple years ago, and am re-posting it here because:

1. It's hillarious
2. It's TA related (hey, it has JP, JM and a NOMAC)

 :biggrin:

« Last Edit: December 29, 2018, 08:15:13 PM by gzarruk »
It sounds like, "ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk." Instead of the more pleasing kick drum sound of, "gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk."

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74062
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #850 on: December 29, 2018, 08:11:23 PM »
Is that Splent on top?
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #851 on: December 29, 2018, 08:18:14 PM »
Honestly Kev, I don't need, or want, my metal from Dream Theater. Before The Astonishing, the two things I wanted most from a new Dream Theater album was more piano and more James. The Astonishing gave us that in spades.

Jokes aside, I totally know what you mean.  :tup :tup

Offline Ben_Jamin

  • Posts: 15690
  • Gender: Male
  • I'm just a man, thrown into existence by the gods
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #852 on: December 30, 2018, 10:36:14 AM »
Tosin doesnt even look like he's photoshopped in.
I don't know how they can be so proud of winning with them odds. - Little Big Man
Follow my Spotify:BjamminD

Offline porcacultor

  • Posts: 315
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #853 on: January 15, 2019, 10:49:51 PM »
When I first heard TA, it didn't feel like my cup of tea somehow. I remember really zooming in on the heavier tracks like Three Days and The Walking Shadow and being kind of turned off by the more piano-based ones. At the time, I wasn't even interested in seeing them live here in São Paulo. I just wrote it off as "the one Dream Theater album I'm not crazy about".

A few years later, here am I, listening to this thing on repeat for days, sorely lamenting having missed that show (though I guess I wouldn't have enjoyed it then as I would now).

I don't know if I went soft in my old age or if my horizons broadened a little bit, but the whole thing is speaking to me now more than ever. The whole thing kind of sounds like the angelical counterpart to the obviously demonic group Devil Doll and their sprawling epics, in a way.

With all that being said, it'd be killer if, for this tour around a (presumably) heavier album, it'd be great if TA were represented by a "Nafaryus Section" with Lord Nafaryus and/or Three Days! Fat chance, but who knows?

EDIT:

Subsequent thoughts:

- To me, this feels like the achievement of what the band were aiming for in the title track for 6DOIT.

- If I had to find a word for this album, it'd be "Rewarding".

- That melody around the part where Faythe sings "This very moment (...)" in When Your Time Has Come (and its subsequent appearances) may be my favorite moment in the whole thing, along with the calm piano part in Ravenskill.

- This album is a master class in how to use a 7-string without screaming HEY, I'M USING A SEVEN STRING GUITAR!! I know JP has showed he knows his way around the guitar, but the sudden low notes really work in the arrangement, like in Brother Can You Hear Me.

- Now, my only criticism of the album is for the fade-out in A New Beginning. I'll look into how they solved that one live!
« Last Edit: January 15, 2019, 11:41:34 PM by porcacultor »

Online Chino

  • Be excellent to each other.
  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 25281
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #854 on: January 16, 2019, 06:19:06 AM »
- Now, my only criticism of the album is for the fade-out in A New Beginning. I'll look into how they solved that one live!
 

If that outgoing solo was ever recorded live and put on DVD, it would have overtaken the Hollow Years solo from LAB as JP's best guitar solo.

Offline lucasembarbosa

  • Posts: 531
  • Gender: Male
  • Pale Rider of No Tomorrow
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #855 on: January 16, 2019, 06:26:43 AM »

- This album is a master class in how to use a 7-string without screaming HEY, I'M USING A SEVEN STRING GUITAR!! I know JP has showed he knows his way around the guitar, but the sudden low notes really work in the arrangement, like in Brother Can You Hear Me.

- Now, my only criticism of the album is for the fade-out in A New Beginning. I'll look into how they solved that one live!

Spot on. The 7-string works more harmonically than just a rhythmic chugga chugga chugga... BTW, salve salve, paulista(no)!

Offline RodrigoAltaf

  • Posts: 2687
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #856 on: January 16, 2019, 07:42:49 AM »

- This album is a master class in how to use a 7-string without screaming HEY, I'M USING A SEVEN STRING GUITAR!! I know JP has showed he knows his way around the guitar, but the sudden low notes really work in the arrangement, like in Brother Can You Hear Me.

- Now, my only criticism of the album is for the fade-out in A New Beginning. I'll look into how they solved that one live!

Spot on. The 7-string works more harmonically than just a rhythmic chugga chugga chugga... BTW, salve salve, paulista(no)!

More Brazilians her on DTF? Yessss!!!!

Offline porcacultor

  • Posts: 315
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #857 on: January 21, 2019, 02:27:17 PM »

Spot on. The 7-string works more harmonically than just a rhythmic chugga chugga chugga... BTW, salve salve, paulista(no)!

More Brazilians her on DTF? Yessss!!!!

É isso aí moçada, só na torcida pelo D/T ser o bicho que tá prometendo!

Brazilian DTF takeover hahah

Offline ytserush

  • Posts: 5376
  • Like clockwork...
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #858 on: February 10, 2019, 07:31:13 PM »
Listened to this again earlier today. The music still sounds amazing to me.

Offline DarkLord_Lalinc

  • pr0nman extraordinaire
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 11580
  • Gender: Male
  • Hostages love me
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #859 on: February 10, 2019, 09:33:38 PM »
Listened to this again earlier today. The music still sounds amazing to me.

I usually listen to The Astonishing at least once per month. The melodies are still some of the most beautiful things DT's ever done (this comes from someone who passionately loves and listens to movie soundtracks all day long).
Quote from: TioJorge
MAN FUCK YOU KUJA.
Quote from: hefdaddy42
The Darklord is amazing

Offline Kwyjibo

  • Worse troll than Blabbermouth
  • Posts: 5996
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #860 on: February 11, 2019, 12:22:49 AM »
Listened to the whole thing yesterday after not having done so for a longer time.

I still really like it, there are some really cool things going on. But I think it's a little bit too long.
Must've been Kwyji sending all the wrong songs.   ;D

Offline Shooters1221

  • Posts: 377
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #861 on: February 11, 2019, 12:55:00 AM »
Still loving TA! :tup

Offline IDontNotDoThings

  • Posts: 3627
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #862 on: February 11, 2019, 03:02:53 AM »
It wouldn't surprise me at all if I learned that TA has been my most played album ever. It's not absolutely drop-dead amazing or anything, but it's probably the album I find the most fun in playing, whether trying to dissect its many ideas or just getting absorbed in its world & characters.

Initially the songs I didn't like stuck out to me more (Lord Nafaryus, Begin Again, Losing Faythe, Hymn Of A Thousand Voices), but as the album became familiar enough to where I could see it as one whole experience, it's only gotten better. In my mind it feels as new & captivating the 50th time I listened as it was for the first, & that's not something I can say for most albums (even the ones I consider all-time classics).

The album has its flaws, yes, but I still love it to death. To me it's only a reminder of why DT is my favourite band, & will likely continue to be for as long as they're together. :heart

(Edit: typo)
« Last Edit: February 11, 2019, 03:11:43 AM by IDontNotDoThings »
ドリームシアターはあまり好きではありませんが、ペンと紙を持っていたので、なんてこった。

Offline Max Kuehnau

  • Emotionless Brainiac
  • Posts: 2447
  • Gender: Male
  • Doomed to be a man this world forgot
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #863 on: February 11, 2019, 03:07:43 AM »
It wouldn't surprise me at all if I learned that TA has been my most played album ever. It's not absolutely drop-dead amazing or anything, but it's probably the album I find the most fun in playing, whether trying to dissect its many ideas or just getting absorbed in its world & characters.

Initially the songs I didn't like stuck out to me more (Lord Nafaryus, Begin Again, Losing Faythe, Hymn Of A Thousand Voices), but as the album became familiar enough to where I could see it as one whole experience, it's only gotten better. In my mind it feels as new & captivating the 50th time I listed as it was for the first, & that's not something I can say for most albums (even the ones I consider all-time classics).

The album has its flaws, yes, but I still love it to death. To me it's only a reminder of why DT is my favourite band, & will likely continue to be for as long as they're together. :heart
I liked Lord Nafaryus instantly. TA definitely was a grower of an album for me. They've achieved what they wanted to achieve with flying colours. That's important to note IMHO. I'll leave it at that.
"All my natural instincts are begging me to stop
But somehow I carry on, heading for the top
A physical absurdity, a tremendous mental game
Helping me understand exactly who I am"

Offline erciccio

  • Posts: 315
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #864 on: February 11, 2019, 11:22:32 AM »
It is one of the albums I love to listen to more often.

Honestly, in the last 5 years I think I never heard anything from Systematic Chaos, Octavarium or ToT (except In the Name of God) while I find myself still enjoying TA a lot.

In very few cases I listen to it from beginning to the end, but once I start I love to lose my self into the TA world at least for half an hour.

The single thing I would have liked them to do, is being e bit more "extreme" in some choices...eg., a couple of minutes of real prog-tango within Lord Nafaryus.

I frankly do not understand all the hate on TA...there are many beautiful melodies, and if you select the heavy and prog pars you would still make a great CD..

But anyway, I'm really glad they made it! Who cares for the haters...
Ora che ho perso la vista,ci vedo di più

Offline Max Kuehnau

  • Emotionless Brainiac
  • Posts: 2447
  • Gender: Male
  • Doomed to be a man this world forgot
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #865 on: February 11, 2019, 02:05:26 PM »
Neutrality is a virtue to live by (I like to think it is anyway), the neutral approach was what I went for when TA came out as well (as I always do). I do my best not to hate. (it doesn't always work unfortunately)
"All my natural instincts are begging me to stop
But somehow I carry on, heading for the top
A physical absurdity, a tremendous mental game
Helping me understand exactly who I am"

Offline DragonAttack

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 4161
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #866 on: March 01, 2019, 07:29:18 AM »
I made a one disc edited version of this release (lots of intros cut to get more tracks).

I also made an edited two disc version of around 100 minutes  (disc one ends with the 'X Factor', disc two starts with 'A New Beginning'... makes sense, right?), old school double album four sides type of thing.

I found myself playing this more as the new album release date neared, and a couple of times since, so as not to burn out from DoT (only three listens so far).  I always appreciated the effort behind TA, felt that there were various things where it 'just missed' or needed an extra 'something'.  I still feel that way now, but am enjoying it more all these years later. 

Maybe because I am grateful that the new album is so damn good.
...going along with Dragon Attack's Queen thread has been like taking a free class in Queen knowledge. Where else are you gonna find info like that?!

Offline ytserush

  • Posts: 5376
  • Like clockwork...
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #867 on: March 02, 2019, 09:45:43 AM »
Listened to this again earlier today. The music still sounds amazing to me.

I usually listen to The Astonishing at least once per month. The melodies are still some of the most beautiful things DT's ever done (this comes from someone who passionately loves and listens to movie soundtracks all day long).

I don't listen to it that much. Maybe once every few months. It's very much a mixed bag lyrically for me.  The music is just incredible though.

Offline MetropolisWatches

  • Posts: 167
  • Gender: Male
  • I&W/Awake/SFAM/6 Degrees
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #868 on: March 02, 2019, 09:49:29 AM »
I liked the Astonishing when it was released and still do today. Fantastic music and motifs, bogged down by a weak story (with some lame lyrics at times) and excessive run-time.

It contains some of the band's finest music, but they could have easily edited the album down (i.e. too many NOMAC tracks- but those might been added for the purposes of the live show). I feel some of the tangential tunes could have been archived and implemented on another album.

I liked how DT pushed themselves here creatively (even more so than ADOTE or DT) and in many ways consider it the best album of the Mangini era (now eclipsed by Distance Over Time).

Seems like The Astonishing is the band's most polarizing album-- will be interesting to see how its reputation evolves over time.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2019, 01:06:45 PM by MetropolisWatches »

Offline Dreamer

  • Posts: 94
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #869 on: March 02, 2019, 09:59:23 AM »
I liked the Astonishing when it was released and still do today. Fantastic music and motifs, bogged down by a weak story (with some lame lyrics at times) and excessive run-time.

It contains some of the bands finest music, but they could have easily edited the album down (i.e. too many NOMAC tracks- but those might been added for the purposes of the live show). I feel some of the tangential tunes could have been archived and implemented on another album.

I liked how DT pushed themselves here creatively (even more so than ADOTE or DT) and in many ways consider it the best album of the Mangini era (now eclipsed by Distance Over Time).

Seems like The Astonishing is the band's most polarizing album-- will be interesting to see how its reputation evolves over time.

Agree 100%. I whittled it down to a 1 CD version which I love. It was a brave and huge undertaking by the band but the main problem was it was too long which stopped some from being able to digest it.

Offline Trav86

  • Posts: 1913
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #870 on: March 04, 2019, 03:36:12 PM »
A really cool record. It took me awhile to get into it. Probably a year.  I finally stopped trying to see it as a DT album that has a story, like SFAM is. The music for SFAM was written before the story was ever thought up. The story was secondary.  This is a rock opera where DT is really playing the part of the orchestra. The music is there to guide the story.  I think they pulled it off brilliantly. Awesome melodies, lyrics that I can connect with on an emotional level. Especially the love between parent and child with Ahrys and Xander. And with Nefaryus and Faythe.  It has a lot of tracks, but I think they all bring something special to the album.  It’s one of my very favorite albums.
Can't we find the minds
to lead us closer to the heart?

Offline Volante99

  • Posts: 1044
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #871 on: March 04, 2019, 04:39:42 PM »
Ahhh Astonishing...

Some great musical ideas, and their heart is obviously in the right place, they just needed to whittle it down to an hour. It suffers from the same issues as Guns N Roses’ Use Your Illusions I and II. Take the best parts, throw out the rest and you have something really golden.

Offline bill1971

  • Posts: 743
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #872 on: March 04, 2019, 05:08:12 PM »
I really love the album. I enjoy it most listening to the entire thing, even if it is broke up into 3 or 4 listens. I have a very hard time knowing the individual songs by name, except for Gift of Music, Three Days and a few others, but once I start listening I am always thinking "oh I love this part or can't wait for the part after" I love that they did this and very glad I saw the tour.

Offline gzarruk

  • Posts: 5140
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #873 on: March 04, 2019, 05:48:19 PM »
A really cool record. It took me awhile to get into it. Probably a year.  I finally stopped trying to see it as a DT album that has a story, like SFAM is. The music for SFAM was written before the story was ever thought up. The story was secondary.  This is a rock opera where DT is really playing the part of the orchestra. The music is there to guide the story.  I think they pulled it off brilliantly. Awesome melodies, lyrics that I can connect with on an emotional level. Especially the love between parent and child with Ahrys and Xander. And with Nefaryus and Faythe.  It has a lot of tracks, but I think they all bring something special to the album.  It’s one of my very favorite albums.

I agree! They wanted to do something different than the classic concept album, more lile something Ayreon or Avantasia would do, and they nailed it. TA is still one of the finest pieces of art they’ve released so far.
It sounds like, "ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk, ruk." Instead of the more pleasing kick drum sound of, "gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk, gzarruk."

Offline LCArenas

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2511
  • Gender: Male
Re: - " The Astonishing " - One Year -- er, TWO YEARS On.
« Reply #874 on: March 06, 2019, 09:44:12 PM »
So I revisited the album once again seeing that I'm playing D/T a lot lately. I have a lot to think about:

First off, I really can't see why the album gets so many criticisms that it isn't a DT sounding album. There may not be overlong tradeoff solos in the album but there are definitely heavier parts in it, and the solos while scarce are pretty amazing. I do have issues with the guitar's tone (It improved greatly on D/T), but as for the music itself, it's professional. All the guys do an amazing job (I did end up wanting more Myung, a request that was luckily granted on D/T), but I have to give a shoutout JLB since he steals the show completely. While I do like to imagine this album with each character sung by a different singer a la Ayreon, if there's one guy who could pull it off while being the same singer is my boy the Pirate. This shit wasn't easy, specially considering you have to change your voice and technique for each of the songs and characters when they talk to each other; yet I did distinguish all of each one of the voice changes he did, and he did an outstanding job at it. While being far from his otherworldly I&W days, this is the best performance James has ever given post-Vocal Injury.

It definitely sounds better as an album. That's a strength that SFAM has over the Astonishing; the songs work as good as individual songs as they do listening the album from start to finish. TA has a lot of repeating melodies that formed together make The Astonishing a great, big song with a lot of reprises and tweaks, which sounds really good when you're giving the album a listen from start to finish; but some of the songs sound really confusing and disoriented when you listen to them alone. While SFAM also features this I feel the songs are stronger as individual ones, each one having their own distinct melody and memorable moments.

While it isn't as good an album as SFAM in my opinion I do think it would work as a play, movie or as a book much better than SFAM. Sure the music is a key part to it but this seems a lot more plot-driven than SFAM, it has more theatrical and dramatic moments as well.

That being said, my main issues with it are with the plot itself. Since they want you to focus more on the plot and lyrics of the album I found that  the first act is well-structured and almost all the songs that form it are relevant to set a story; 'A Better Life' may be the one I really didn't care for, but the rest are amazing songs. 'Lord Nafaryus' is one of the albums standouts, as is 'The Gift of Music' and 'Three Days'- 'Ravenskill' is amazing too. Things get way more messy on the second act: it drags on too long. They tried to give depth to each character by making a song for each one of them portraying how they react to everything that happens on pivotal moments, and it's mostly miss (A New Beginning, Chosen, The Road to Revolution) than hit (The X Aspect). I feel that they spent too much time on this and then rushed the third act as a result.

The fact that a lot of the songs are just internal thoughts of each character really slow downs the plot, and for an album that has 34 tracks about a Revolution in a world that forbids music... Not much happens: Guy can sing, tyrant doesn't like him, tyrant's daughter falls in love with him, tyrant's son manipulates Guy's brother to betray him, brother repents and gets killed, tyrant's daughter too; tyrant repents, makes peace, happy ending. Again, this is supposed to be a bigger thing and yet the plot leaves a lot more to be desired. I wanted to know more about the people of ravenskill, whether or not there was some actual physical conflict, how the world came to be as it is, Empress Arabelle.... All that. Guess I have to pick up the book.

There are some songs that could be more relevant to the story given how good they are as songs: 'Begin Again', 'Chosen', 'Moment of Betrayal'; I love these songs and they are standouts of the second disc; but I do think they could be more relevant to the story. There are also songs that signal a very important part of the story yet for some reason I don't feel they are as grandiose or important as they should be: First one of them being 'My Last Farewell' since it comes in such a tragic moment, and the second and most disappointing of all... 'Our New World'. ONW is easily the track I disliked the most of the album. I just can't stand the 'Our new woooorld... Better woooooorld' uninspired chorus.

There are songs in the second and third acts, however, that are both important to the plot and satisfying as songs. These are total jams. 'The Path that Divides' is one of the best songs on the album since it does just that. 'The Walking Shadow' gets a lot of flak here but I fucking love it: The confusion and distortion of the song is what I expect a song to be when there are multiple killings being made :lol. Same with 'Hymn of a Thousand Voices' which is as moving and epic as it should be, the choir parts floored me and the melodies are total killers. I would love to see this in an actual theater play.

All in all, this isn't a bad album. I really, really like it! But it's Dream Theater we're talking here, a band that has set the bar incredibly high in terms of quality all throughout their career. The Astonishing needs a lengthy review of it mostly because of its length and also since it was given so much attention and hype before it was released. The instrumental part delivers: it has some of the most melodic and delightful leads JP and JR have ever written and the vocal work here is masterful; but the songs themselves get weak near the second act and the album doesn't really recover completely in the third. A near perfect start that becomes hit or miss from two-thirds of the album on and ultimately forms an album that is way, way stronger than the sum of its parts. Comparing it to its nearest albums It's way better than DT12, but I find D/T to be a better album, being as good as this one is in terms of musical prowess but with far more creative and memorable songs as well as better lyrics. Even if it's flawed and doesn't get to my top DT albums I applaud JP and JR for tackling this monster of a project and pulling it through (Also thanks for NOT making SFAM II or SDoIT II-This was a unique concept album that stands on its own, very much like the other two concept albums. Thank you so much for that and I hope they keep that up forever). It's definitely better than the first time I heard it, and I'll be sure to hear it more than I had listened to it in the past three years.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2019, 11:00:50 PM by LCArenas »